1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drum hoop and more particularly to a drum hoop having a protective rim or edge.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Drum assemblies come in various designs. The typical assembly of a drum includes: a cylindrical and hollow drum shell; a drum head, which is comprised of a film attached to a rim, which lays over the end of the drum shell and which acts as the acoustic resonator; drum hoops which act to securely compress the acoustic resonator or film against the bearing edge of the drum shell; and rings or other hardware which are used to clamp the hoops to the exterior of the drum shell. The drum hoops are circular in design and specifically act to tension the film down against the bearing edge of the drum shell. In order to properly clamp the drum head to the drum shell, the drum hoops are made of a very strong material, typically steel.
Many alternative designs or additives to steel drum hoops have been proposed and are designed to prevent damage to the drum stick. Additionally, other types of steel drum hoops are known which seek to enhance the acoustic response of the film or which seek to ease the assembly of the drum itself. None of the prior arts steel drum hoops seek to affirmatively protect the bearing edge of the drum shell when in use. The drum shell may be made of wood and can be easily damaged through a drum stick hitting the bearing edge, mis-assembly of the film and drum hoop assembly, or through wear and tear which normal drum shells undergo. This damage, however, may be minimized by seeking to protect the top most bearing edge of the drum shell which is directly adjacent to placement of the drum hoop and over which the drum film lies. It is requisite that a good airtight seal between the drum film and the bearing edge of the drum shell occur in order to enhance the resonance of the drum itself. If the bearing edge of the drum shell is damaged in some way, for example, through a drum stick hitting the bearing edge, this airtight seal can be damaged and as a result the sound which the drum produces can be significantly changed.
Most prior art steel drum hoops compress the drum film against the bearing edge of the drum shell and have an upwardly and outwardly extending annular rim. The steel drum hoops of the prior art do not seek to protect the bearing edge of the drum shell and only seek to maximize the impression of the drum film onto the drum shell or to ease assembly or protect the other aspects of the drum assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,309 is directed towards a drum stick wear pad assembly which attaches to the drum hoop along an arch where the handle of the drum stick meets the drum hoop. This drum stick wear pad merely covers only a small portion of the drum hoop and clamps down over the top of a small portion thereof. This patent discusses the possibility of the wear pad extending over the drum rim partially or substantially about or along the rim, merely serving to protect the rim. The pad does not extend inwardly from the arcuate rim over the bearing edge of the drum shell. U.S. Pat. No. 3,421,400 teaches a drum and drum head construction wherein the drum sheet is attached to the drum by clamping means which incorporates a belt and tensioning ring. However, the tensioning ring is utilized merely to apply pressure to the drum head sheet along the crown of the drum head sheet, but does not provide protection to the drum shell or bearing edge.